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The way we play Kerak 

For starters, make sure everything’s there.  You should have one game-board, two faux velvet pouches, 18 blue and 18 red pieces, two cheat-sheets, and the rules.  All good? Let’s play Kerak!

 

Your goal in Kerak is to capture the opposing castle, while protecting yours: if you do that, you win, and if neither player can capture each other’s castle, it’s a draw.

 

Before continuing, check your cheat-sheet, it shows you the different pieces, and their strengths and speeds.

 

the pieces

Piece
strength
moves
points
notes
9 Infantry
1
1
1
captures castles
3 Archers
1
1
2
captures castles, supports at 2 space radius
2 Cavalry
 
1
3
2
always captures archers
2 Knight
 
2
2
3
always captures archers
1 Hero
 
2
3
3
always captures archers
1 Castle
 
2
-
Victory
adjacent infantry or archer +1 support

 

 

building your army

To start Kerak, you and your opponent take turns placing pieces, one at a time, on the board, in the three rows nearest you.  You can place your pieces in any sequence, and in any configuration.  Red places first.




moving day
I. Pieces cannot move into spaces adjacent to
spaces they previously occupied during that move.


Once the board is set, you take turns moving your pieces, red moves first.  You must move one, and only one, piece per turn; only one piece can occupy a space.

 

You can move any piece in any direction, and any number of spaces up to and including the piece’s movement value. For example, cavalry can move one, two, or three spaces a turn.

 

Pieces with multiple movement values cannot move into a space that touches a space that they’ve previously left (I).

 

Pieces can only move into open spaces, or spaces resulting in a valid capture: they cannot “jump” friendly pieces.





the battle begins

Here’s how to capture pieces:

 

First, you must be able to move your piece into a space occupied by your opponent’s piece.

 

Second, your piece must be strong enough to capture your opponent’s piece: if your piece’s strength value, plus that of all your supporting pieces (next section), is greater or equal to your opponent’s piece’s strength value, plus that of their supporting pieces, then you can capture it.

 


the whole is greater

Pieces are stronger when they’re together.  They support each other when attacking or defending by contributing their strength value to their friendly piece.  This means strong pieces can make other pieces strong too.  Here’s how it works:


Your attacking piece is supported by all your pieces adjacent to the defending piece.  Archers are special because they support attacks up to and including two spaces away (II & III).

 


II. Here Red’s cavalry (strength=1) attacks Blue’s knight (s2) Red’s infantry both support the attack (2xs1) because they are adjacent to Blue’s knight; Red’s knight cannot. Red wins (3s>2s 

III. Red’s infantry (s1) is attacking Blue’s knight (s2), and is supported by both archers (2xs1). Archers may support even when separated by a space (even if that space is occupied). Red wins (3>2).

IV. Blue’s archer is defending an attack from Red’s infantry. Because Blue’s infantry is adjacent to both pieces it supports; the knight’s cannot. Red cannot capture blue’s archer (1s<2s).

 

Your defending piece is supported by all your pieces adjacent to both the attacking piece and your defending piece (IV).



parting gifts
V. Blue’s castle supports the infantry defending Red’s
attack because castles support all units adjacent to them

 

Here are the final rules that make Kerak more fair.

 

Cavalry, knights, and heroes can always capture archers.

 

Castles only support with a strength of 1 (they still defend at 2), and support any adjacent infantry or archers, even from behind (V).

 

Only infantry and archers can capture castles; cavalry, knights, and heroes cannot, but can support castle captures.  Make sure you take care of your weak pieces too!





 

for the win

Just in case you need to settle a score, each piece has a point value.  If both players agree (before playing), if they draw, the player who captured a higher total piece value wins.

 

The Kerak board is also lettered and numbered so that players can record their moves!  Because the Kerak board is hexagonal, the notation system follows diagonal lines.  When recording a move, write the letter before the number.

 

That’s it.  We hope you love Kerak!  Be sure to stay in touch on our website www.kerak.net because that’s where you can keep up to date with tournaments, the community, deals, and more!